Adjusting means for spring balances



July 26, 1949. A. LARSON ADJUSTING MEANS FOR SPRING BALANCES 2 Sheets-Sheet' 1 Filed Aug. 20,- 1947 IN VEN TOR. w A GU 7' LA RSUN BY W 92w ATTUENEXJ ww mv 3 9 3 j 0 q 2 4 2i I. f f V .u F A 12 m 6 Z //wV//// W M7 July 26, 1949. A. LARSON ADJUSTING MEANS FOR SPRING BALANCES Filed Aug. 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALGUTLA E'UN Y ATTUENEYJ Patented July 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTING MEAN$ FOR stairs BALANCES Algot Larson, Bron-x-, N. E, assignor to Unique- Balance (30., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corpora!- tion of Illinois Armenian Au ust 2 s al 769,631- Claims. (01. 16-49%) 10411646and embodies more specifically, an im-' provedstruct'ure by means of which the tension or the balancing spring is-adjusted with facility from time to time as desired and while the balanceniechanism mounted-in its normal operating position.

in existing forms ofwindow sashbalances of the type above referred to, when the balance has oncebeen installedin its normal operating position; it is ratherdifficult to effect any adjustment of the tension of the spring in the balanee. Such adjustments can only bernade by dismountingthe mechanism temporarily from its normal operating position. r

In" accordance with the present invention a window sash balance is provided wherein the tension of the spring-in the sash balance may be OOH? veniently'adjusted without disturbing the mounting of the balance in any manner.

'Q-ther and further objects of the invention will-be apparentas it is described in greater detail iii-connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a windowprovidecl with sash balances constructed in accord-- ance with the present'invention;

Figure 2 is a view in transverse cross-section, taken on line 22 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical cross-section, taken on line 3- 3 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction oi the arrows;

Figure 4 is a partial View in side elevation, taken on plane 4-4 of Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a view in cross-section, taken on 1in e'55 of Figure 4, and looking in the direction of'the arrows;

Figure 6' is a view in cross-section, taken on line G 6 of Figure 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows Figure 7 is an exploded View showing the elements. of.- the adjusting mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3, v ew, a ir br k n wa and in section, showing the elements of Figure 7 in asin its normal operating position.

Referring to the above drawings, a window frame is indicated generally at It): as havingupper and'lower sashes; H- and I2; respectively. For" eaclrof the sashes Hand [2, there is providfid a sash halance mechanism 13, which is shown" in greater detailin Figure 3, Sash balance'mechanism comprises an elongated tube l4; within which a spiralspring i5 is received; The spring is secured at its l'owerend to a sleeve l6 that is journaled within a balancing member ll secured to the lowerend of tube 14. A spiral strip i8 is received within an elongated co-operating slot lfif within the tube 16 and is anchored'at'lfi to a hinge pin carried'by a plate", which" is formed with a: flange 21 and is-adapted'to be nailed or suitably securedtothe sash.

The upper endof the spring i5 is inserted over a ferrule 22 to which it issecurely clamped, the upper end of the ferrule being upset and-formed with a-downwardlyprojecting flange 23'. the

lower edge of which is formed with teeth 24'. Suitably spaced apertures 25 are provided in the upper end of the'ferrule 22' and are adapted to receive a nail or pin 26 in order to advance'the teeth in'one directionor another.

A stationary'ierrul 21 is received within the upperend' of thetube l4 and may be secured" thereto by a tube or eye 28 which may also serve The lower to receive the attaching screw 29. and of the-ferrule 2*lis formed with an inwardlyand upwardly extending flange 3% that is formed with-teeth 3 i'that are adapted to co-op erate with' teeth 24. Thetube or ferrule'zl-is formed with acutaw-ay portion 32 that is suificiently long cir-' cur-riferentiall-yof the-tube -4-- to expose two" of: the aperturesli tqview. as illustrated in Figure 4 V Overlyihg the cutaway portion 32 in the ferrule z'l ithere is provided a similar cutaway por tiori li3 in the outer tube l4, each of the cutaway portions including an ofiset notch 34 adapted w; receive the pin 26 to lock the adjusting mechaposition illustrated in Figure 3- and is inserted" in the left-handaperture 25, as; appearing in Figures 4, 8, and 9 'I-he pinis-then moved over- -tothe: right, at which time the notches- 24 ride uploverthe notches tl' and'drop down into engaging position in which the spring adjustment isheldi bythe notches. Further adjustment is accomplished by; removing the pin-from its previous aperture and inserting itinto the aperturethat has come to the left of the slot 33 and again" advancing it'to the right and; into the position; shown inFigureQ. This may-be continued until'- thetension of the spring is sufficiently corrected. 5

ii thetension' of the spring isto be reduced,

the pin 26 is inserted in the aperture 25 at the right of the slot 33 as shown in Figures 4, 8, and 9, the ferrule 22 lifted'until the notches 24 and 3| disengage, and then the tension of the spring is permitted to move the ferrule 22 and pin 26 to the left, at which time the notches 24 will drop down and engage the notches 3|.

Further relief of the tension of the spring may be accomplished by continuing this operation until the desired tension is obtained.

After the desired adjustment has been accomplished, the pin or nail 26 is inserted in the notch 34-, and the ferule 22 is thus prevented from rising, insuring that the notches 24 and 3| re main cOIltinually in engagement.

It is to be observed that an important feature of this invention is the provision of means to maintain a desired adjustment of the balance mechanism while the device is in a normal nona-ssembled'position, such, for example, as the condition in which it is sold and prior to its installation. This is accomplished as will be apparent in Figure 3, by providing the spiral rod or strip member I8 of such length as to be received between the tube l4 and the eyelet 28, as illustrated in dot-and-dash lines. In this position, it is impossible to change the adjustment of the spring.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the adjustment of the sash balance is accomplished with facility while the balance is mounted in its operating position, and the structure is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is eifective in operation.

While the invention has been described with reference to the specific structure shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited saveas defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Adjustingmechanism for a sash balance for a window having a coiled torsion spring received within a tube, one end of which spring is secured to a nut and spiral strip member adapted to be secured to a sash for varying the tension of the spring with movement of the sash, said adjusting mechanism comprising a ferrule to which the other end of the springis secured, interengaging ratchet teeth carried by the tube and ferrule, said teeth being urged into engagement by said spring, an elongated aperture formed in the side of the tube, a lock aperture in the tube above the top of the ferrule, a plurality of apertures in the ferrule, and a pin adapted to be inserted in the plurality of apertures to adjust the ratchet teeth and in the lock aperture to lock the ferrule in adjusted position.

2. Adjusting mechanism for a sash balance for a window having a coiled torsion spring received within a tube, one end of which spring is secured to a nut and spiral strip member adapted to be secured to a sash for varying the tension of the spring with movement of the sash, said adjusting mechanism comprising a ferrule to which the,

other end of the spring is secured, an upset flanged portion on the end of the ferrule remote from the spring, ratchet teeth formed on the edge of the flanged portion adjacent the spring, a hollow tube section secured within the first named tube and having an upset and inwardly projecting flange formed at one end thereof and having ratchet teeth formed thereon to co-operate with the first named ratchet teeth, and means to adjust the ratchet teeth of the ferrule with respect to those of the tube section, V

,3. Adjusting mechanism for a sash balance for a window having a coiled torsion spring received within a tube, one end of which spring is secured to a nut and spiral strip member adapted to be secured to a sash for varying the tension of the spring with movement of the sash, said adjusting mechanism comprising a ferrule to which the other end of the spring is secured, an upset flanged portion on the end of the ferrule remote from the spring, ratchet teeth formed on the edge of the flanged portion adjacent the spring, a, hollow tube section secured within the first named tube and having an upset and inwardly projecting flange formed at one end thereof and having ratchet teeth formed thereon to co-operate with the first named ratchet teeth, an elongated opening in the tube section, a plurality of apertures in the ferrule, at least two of which are exposed simultaneously through the elongated opening, and a pin to engage the apertures to move the ferrule with respect to the tube section. 4. Adjusting mechanism for a sash balance for a window having a coiled torsion spring received within a tube, one end of which spring is secured to a nut and spiral strip member adapted to be secured to a sash for varying the tension of the Spring with movement of the sash, said adjusting mechanism comprising a ferrule to which the other end of the spring is secured, an upset flanged portion on the end of the ferrule remote from the spring, ratchet teeth formed on the edge of the flangedportion adjacent the spring, a hollow tube section secured within the first named tube and having an upset and inwardly projectingflange formed at one end thereof and having ratchet teeth formed thereon to co-operate with the first named ratchet teeth, an elongated opening in the tube section, a plurality of apertures in the ferrule, at least two of which are exposed simultaneously through the elongated opening, a lock opening in the tube section above the extremity of the ferrule when the ratchet teeth are in normal engaging position, and a pin to engage the apertures to move the ferrule with respect to the tube section and to engage the lock opening in the tube section to lock the ferrule in ratchet engaging position. 5. Adjusting mechanism for a sash balance for a window having a coiled torsion spring received within a tube, one end of which spring is secured to a nut and spiral strip member adapted to be secured to a sash for varying the tension of the spring with movement of the sash, said adjusting mechanism comprising a ferrule to which the other end of the spring is secured, interengaging means between the ferrule and tube, said tube being formed with an aperture in the side thereof, means operable through the aperture to release the interengaging means and vary the tension of the spring, an eyelet in the tube at the end thereof remote from the nut, and said spiral strip member being of such length as to extend between the eyelet and tube when the strip member is fully advanced into the tube.

ALGOT LARSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 269,411 Hart et a1 Dec, 19, 1882 734,448 Valentine July 21, 1903 978,548 Bommer Dec. 13, 1910 1,926,951 Larson Sept. 12, 1933 

